fertilization, the environment where it grows and the
climate. Comparison between amylose and
amylopectin is used as the basis in determining the
quality of taste and texture of rice. Amylose content
is positively correlated with the level of softness,
adhesiveness, color and gloss (Haryadi, 2008). This
is because amylose has a greater retrogadation ability
(Pratiwi, 2017). According to Haryadi (2008), rice
with high amylose content produces dry and dry rice,
whereas rice with low amylose content produces
sticky and soft rice. In addition, another factor that
determines the diversity of rice varieties is aroma and
taste (flavor characteristics). Aroma is produced from
volatile components released from rice (Zeng et al.,
2008), meanwhile taste is associated to non-volatile
components (Lioe et al. 2010).
Research on rice preferences in terms of consumer
preferences in different area is a very important
problem considering that Indonesia is a country that
consists of various ethnicities and cultures so that the
types of favorite rices may also be different. This
research can later be used as a reference or
consideration for rice plant breeders in assembling
new high yielding varieties in terms of community
preferences or preferences related to the culture of an
area so that it can be consumed and liked by the
people in the area. The aim of this study was to
identify the preferences of people from West
Sumatra, West Java, South Sulawesi, and Papua
(representing West Papua and Papua Provinces) for
the four superior rice varieties evaluated, namely
Cisokan, Ciherang, Ciliwung, and Membramo, and to
determine the relationship between consumer
preferences and description of sensory attributes of
rice from the different varieties.
2 MATERIAL AND METHODE
2.1 Materials
The materials used in this study were superior rice
varieties which were widely consumed in the 4
regions of Indonesia: West Sumatra, West Java,
South Sulawesi and Papua. These varieties were
Cisokan variety (origin from West Sumatra
Province), Ciherang variety (from West Java
Province), Ciliwung variety (from South Sulawesi
Province), and Membramo variety (from West Papua
and Papua Provinces) obtained from the Indonesian
Center for Rice Research, Sukamandi, West Java.
The four varieties were harvested from February to
March 2011. Grain drying under sun was carried out
until the grain moisture content was 14% wb. As
much as 300 grams of grains from each variety were
processed with Satake Rice Husker which separated
rice and skin. Then, 200 grams of rice and skins were
scrubbed for 3.5 min by using Satake Polisher to
obtain head rice and broken rice. The polish degree
used was 90%. The polished rice used in the sensory
evaluation consisted of the mixture of head rice and
broken rice. During the research, rice was placed in
an airtight plastic container covered with black
plastic. Then rice was stored in a refrigerator at 9-
11˚C. Polished rice needed during this research was
6.5 kg for each variety.
The chemicals used were standards of flavor (2-
acetyl pyridine, acetoin, vanillin, diacetyl, pandan
flavor, 5-methyl-2-furfural, and sugar lactone) in
liquid form. Vanilin and pandan flavor compounds
were from Sensient Technologies Indonesia Co.,
meanwhile 5-methyl-2-furfural, 2-acetyl pyridine,
acetoin, diacetyl, and sugar lactone compounds were
obtained from Ogawa Indonesia Co. The standards
were stored in small bottles (with a capacity of 10
mL) and placed in a refrigerator at temperatures of 0-
4˚C. Equipments needed included a set of four rice
cookers (Miyako, MCM-509, Indonesia), aluminum
foil, measuring cup, glasswares, a small container for
sensory testing.
2.2 Determining Rice Samples
A literature study was carried out by reviewing
various literatures on superior varieties of rice that
were widely produced and consumed in West
Sumatra, West Java, South Sulawesi, and Papua. The
rice samples used in this study were as follows
(Puslitbangtan, 2010):
• Cisokan: unfluffier (not pulen) rice texture,
amylose content of 26%, glycemic index at 34,
known as lowland rice with an altitude of 500 m
above sea level.
• Ciherang: fluffier (pulen) rice texture, amylose
content of 23%, glycemic index at 54.9. It was
planted in lowland irrigated rice fields up to 500
m above sea level. High productivity with
quality and taste of rice was equivalent to IR64.
• Ciliwung: fluffier rice texture, amylose content
of 22%, glycemic index at 86. It was planted in
low-irrigated irrigated land up to 550 m above
sea level.
• Membramo: fluffier rice texture, amylose
content of 19%. It was either planted on irrigated
land less than 550 m above sea level or more
than.